FORMER STIFEL NICHOLAUS REGISTERED SECURITIES SALESPERSON FROM MADISON COUNTY SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR MAIL FRAUD IN INVESTMENT SCHEME

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on September 18, 2009, NEIL ROLLA HARRISON, age 54, of Alton, Illinois, in Madison County, Illinois, was sentenced to twenty-one [21] months in federal prison as a result of a mail fraud conviction. He was also ordered to serve three years supervised release following his release from prison and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $91,303.

The Indictment charges that NEIL ROLLA HARRISON, while employed by Stifel Nicholaus, and registered to sell securities, he solicited brokerage clients of Stifel Nicolaus, offered and sold fraudulent investments which he represented would be in the gold market or commodities futures and thereafter used investor’s funds to support his gambling habit.

The investigation of the case was handled by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Illinois Securities Department. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.

People who believe they have been a victim of securities fraud should contact the Illinois Securities Department at 1-800-628-7937. If you believe you’re a victim of fraud related to the U.S. Mail, including mailed sweepstakes, lotteries, on-line auctions, work-at-home scams or chain letters, report your concern to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service as mail fraud you can call 1-877-876-2455 or file an online complaint at https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactUs/filecomplaint.aspx